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Friday, September 7, 2012

An Interview with the Authors of THE FAMILIARS

The Familiars has been one of my younger daughter, Reagan's, favorite series, so she's very excited for this third book's release. To celebrate, she interviewed the authors, Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson, about heroes.

Can the familiars bring magic back to the queendom?

Vastia is in a state of war. Led by the evil Paksahara, whose command of the Shifting Fortress gives her nearly unstoppable power, an army of undead animals is wreaking havoc on the queendom. With human magic still gone, it's up to the three prophesized familiars—Aldwyn, Skylar, and Gilbert—to capture the fortress and bring Paksahara down.

But it won't be easy. The three familiars must embark on a quest to gather seven descendants of the most ancient and powerful animals in Vastia. And to make matters worse, Aldwyn finds a troubling scroll that causes him to doubt the very truth of the prophecy that guides them.

With the release of the third book in The Familiars series, The Familiars - Circle of Heroes, we are stopping by some of our favorite blogs discussing all things heroes.

Reagan: What's the difference between a hero and a super hero?

A&A: Anyone through courage and sacrifice can become a hero. To be a superhero, you need a magic hammer or a radioactive superbite.

Reagan: Who is your favorite super hero?

Adam:
My favorite superhero would have to be Dr. Strange. He a spellcasting
superhero that was once a doctor but through mystic training has become
something even greater. I have a soft spot for anything that has to do
magic...so Dr. Strange and the villians he faces have always appealed
ever since I was a little kid.

Andrew: Spiderman. I loved that he was a "nerdy"
teenage kid (I could relate) and it played into every fantasy I ever had
of fighting off criminals in back alleys to impress pretty girls.

Reagan: If you had a super power, what would it be?

Adam:
I would love the superpower of flight. Being able to soar above the
treetops while avoiding traffic seems like the ultimate fantasy.

Andrew: Superstrength. I've always been a slender
guy, so it would fulfill a life long desire to be able to proudly take
my shirt off at the beach.

Reagan: What's the most heroic story you've ever heard?

Adam: The most heroic stories I've heard
aren't in comic books or middle grade fiction, they're of the soldiers
go overseas fighting for our country. One of my favorite thing sto do is
read about these soldiers and watch the Welcomehomeblog, tearing up
when they are reunited with their families.

Reagan: Who is the most heroic character in The Familiars?

A&A: The
most heroic character in the Familiars is definitely Aldwyn. He's the
underdog (or is it undercat) that with no magic of his own joins a quest
to save his loyal that he only just met. Plus, all great heroes learn
valuable lessons about themselves along the way.

Reagan: Who is the person that is the biggest hero in your life?

A&A: Our
grandparents are the greatest heroes in our life. Adam even dedicated
the Circle of Heroes to them because of the amazing positive influence
they had on him while growing up.

We want you to send in stories about your
own heroes, the real people who have had an impact on your life.
Parents, grandparents, teachers, or friends. We'll be featuring them on
our blog, our Twitter feeds, and our Facebook page. We want to know
who's in your Circle of Heroes. The ones voted the most inspirational
will win a signed copy of book #3. Send them in to thefamiliarsbook@gmail.com!

The Familiars - Circle of Heroes will be on-line and in bookstores everywhere September 4th.